USBee ZX Overview
USB 2.0 Connectivity
Packet analyzer, logic analyzer, signal generator, frequency counter, PWM controller, I2C controller and more all in one
Up to 24MHz Sampling
Stream samples to the PC
8 digital channels
Protocol Analyzer for USB , I2C, SPI, Async, CAN, I2S, 1-wire, SM Bus, PS/2 and custom Busses
Small, compact and portable
Resolve Bugs Faster and Easier
The USBee ZX Platform delivers the highest level of integration and functionality in the test instrument market. With 8 digital I/Os, the USBee ZX combines many functions into one; protocol analyzer, logic analyzer and signal generator as will as other useful tools. Unlike other logic analyzers which charge extra for each serial protocol, the USBee ZX includes numerous serial protocols including I2C, SPI, Async, SDIO, 1-wire, I2S, CAN and support even custom protocols.
Multi-level Protocol Decoding
Unique to USBee products, protocols and packets are displayed in human readable packet format, having automatically been translated from HEX to your custom description. With a huge sample buffer size using the PC RAM and Advanced Search properties, users can significantly reduce debug time by eliminating chunks of grunt work that would typically chew up man-days or man-weeks of effort, and yet improve bug detection capability. Its portability and low prices allow every engineer or firmware developer to have an USBee ZX on their desk.
Windows and Mac Fully Supported
The USBee ZX Suite platform works seamlessly on Windows XP through Windows 8.1 as well as Mac OS X under Parallels 9 including Coherence mode.
Logic Analyzer Features
8 digital input channels
Inputs are 5.5V tolerant
Sampling rates up to 24M sample per second
Data buffer is on the PC for huge sample sizes
Supports 5V, 3.3V, 2.5V and 2V logic levels
Signal Generator Features
8 digital output channels
Generate arbitrary digital waveforms
Create any digital pattern at any frequency up to 24Msps
Data buffer is on the PC for huge sample sizes
External/Internal clocking, looping and triggering of patterns
Packet Analyzer Features
Simultaneously decode multiple busses to extract the data transferred on the signals
I2C, SPI, Async, CAN, 1-Wire, USB, and many other protocols supported
Packets can be filtered and searched based on field contents or lack of content
PacketPresenter takes the decoded byte streams and formats the packets by breaking out the fields you define
Packet data can be exported in a variety of formats including RTF, CSV, TXT, Excel, or Binary file
Custom Protocol Decoders and PacketPresenter definitions let you tailor it to your special bus
Other Features
Frequency Counter - measure frequency on each of the 8 channels
PWM Controller - individually control 8 PWM signals
Pulse Counter - count pulses or edges on e the 8 signals
I2C Controller - write scripts to talk to I2C devices
Data Logger - store the state of the 8 signals to disk over long periods of time
USBee Features That Accelerate Your Debugging
Many test instruments integrated into one
Packet analyzer, logic analyzer, signal generator, frequency counter, PWM controller, and I2C Controller into a single test system
Eliminate wasted time trying to trigger multiple instruments together and correlating an important event to each other
USBee Suite Pro Upgraded Features
The optional USBee Suite Pro software module adds the following features to the platform:
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USBee Suite Features Comparison |
USBee Suite Standard |
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Free |
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Oscilloscope |
channel display (on units with analog channels) |
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Logic Analyzer |
channel display |
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Protocol decoding |
In-line USB, I2C, SPI, Async, 1-Wire, CAN, I2S, SM Bus, PS/2, Sync Serial, Parallel and NEC IR Decoders |
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Custom Decoder |
development kit for creating your own decoder |
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PacketPresenter |
7 Layer Configurable Protocol Decoder displays bus data as packets like your data sheet |
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Smart Search |
32 level search terms to automatically search through hundreds of millions of samples to pinpoint your problems fast |
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Smart Markers |
Place markers at critical points in your trace for easy measurements and navigation |
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Fast Pan |
Used for quickly viewing decoded bus data by panning left and right |
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Annotations |
Titles and Sticky Notes allow detailed documentation that is invaluable when sharing trace files |
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Acquisition Control |
Enhanced Run, Single, Normal, Auto modes |
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Display Modes |
Enhanced display modes with Persist, Vectors, Wide |
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Analog Channel Scaling |
Scaling of slope, offset and units for displaying values in real life terms |
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Importing |
Read in ULD data files captured using your USBee DX |
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Enormous data captures
Since the USBee ZX streams the samples to the PC you can capture hundreds on millions of samples
Capture all occurrences of symptoms instead of a single instance. Find obscure bugs that occur rarely
Single trace synchronized view
Packets, waveforms and physical layer voltage in a single window
Allows quick determination whether root cause is software, firmware or hardware
Protocols in Human Readable Format
Instead of displaying packets as HEX values, the HEX values are automatically converted so that you don’t need a datasheet to interpret the function of the packet.
Faster root cause identification because users can easily follow the sequence of events at the application level, instead of at the byte level
Most Advanced Search in the Market
Search criteria of 32 different sequential events within a qualified time window using attributes such as protocol sequences, analog signal edges, analog signal state and ranges, digital signal state and ranges, digital signal edge and matching field values
Significantly faster debug by searching through 32 million sample points with the most complex search criteria to find the most obscure condition that results in bug or issue
Customizable from the wire to the protocol
Create your own protocol decoders or custom applications that utilize lower level packet data
Supports serial or parallel proprietary protocols not available in standard protocol analyzers, logic analyzers, and mixed signal oscilloscopes (MSO)
PacketPresenter Packet Analyzer
Supercharging the USBee, the PacketPresenter™ displays the bus traffic that is being transmitted between ICs or system components in a graphical, easy to understand packet format that can be customized to your specific design.
With standard logic analyzers, engineers have been accustomed to counting bits, manually decoding protocols, and parsing embedded bus traffic into useable fields. The PacketPresenter does this for you automatically. With the PacketPresenter, counting bits on a logic analyzer is a thing of the past.
The PacketPresenter translates standard logic analyzer traces into graphical communication packets that are easy to read and understand. The PacketPresenter saves you time by automatically extracting the protocol information of interest from raw bus traffic and presenting it in a clear and simple format. You no longer need to count bits or decode waveform traces to find out what your system is saying.
Many existing Protocol Decoders understand only a single protocol. The PacketPresenter, on the other hand, is customizable to fit your custom and unique embedded bus protocol using a simple and intuitive configurable PacketPresenter Definition file. And unique to the USBee, the PacketPresenter gives you a detailed look into how the packet communications on your embedded bus relates to the actual voltage-versus-time waveforms of the bus signals.
Debugging is performed by viewing and analyzing the PacketPresenter output and relating it back to the logic analyzer waveforms and decoded bus traffic for the various types of busses. For example, you can see the PacketPresenter display of HDLC communication packets, and correlate that back to the raw byte stream that was decoded from the ASYNC bus, as well as the voltage versus time waveforms of the bus Tx and Rx lines.
The waveforms show the activity on the signal lines and the Bus Decoders show the data contained on that bus:
Finally, the PacketPresenter parses that data into fields:
The PacketPresenter feature runs alongside the existing bus decoders. It takes the output of raw binary data from the bus decoder and parses the stream according to a PacketPresenter Definition File for the intent of displaying the communications in easily understood graphical displays.
Protocols are defined using a text file, called a PacketPresenter Definition File, which specifies the fields within the protocol and how to display that information on the screen. It is generic enough that you can create your own protocol decoders for your own custom bus types.
Each PacketPresenter Definition File correspond to one single bus type, and the incoming bytes from that bus are inputs for the decoding process. This steam of data is called an incoming Data Stream and it is handled by a Protocol Processor. Each Protocol Processor takes a single incoming Data Stream that is broken into Packets, parsed into Fields and either displayed as a field on the screen, ignored, and/or sent to a new Protocol for further processing (as in an N layer protocol).
Each Protocol Processor defines how to break the stream into Packets, and how to break the Packets into Fields. These Fields can then be displayed or sent to another Data Stream for further processing.
USBee ZX Specifications
| Feature | Specification | |
Technology |
Wired Interconnect | USB 2.0 |
| Maximum Data Bandwidth | 30MB/s | |
Logic Analyzer |
Digital Channels | 10 (8 Input, T and C) |
| Max Sample Rate (All channels sampling) | 24 Msps | |
| Sample Buffer Depth | Uses PC RAM for 100's of millions total samples | |
| Capture Time Example (1MHz I2C register read every 10 msec) | 200 seconds | |
| Digital Input Range | -0.5V to +5.5V | |
| Logic Threshold | Set for 5V, 3.3V, 2.5V and 2.0V Logic Levels | |
Serial Packet Analyzer |
Protocol Analyzers Included | USB, I2C, SPI, Async, CAN, I2S, 1-Wire, SM Bus, PS/2, Sync Serial, Parallel, Custom Decoder API |
Digital Signal Generator |
Arbitrary Digital Pattern Channels | 8 |
| Output Sample Frequency | Up to 24Msps | |
| Number of Output Samples | Up to 200M | |
| Digital Output Voltage | 0V - Low, +3.3V - High | |
| PWM Controller Channels | 8 | |
| Other Digital Pattern Features | Trigger Out, Remote Controller, Loop, Trigger In, External/Internal Clocking | |
Independent
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Data Logger Features | Save all channels to file every 200msec |
| Frequency Counter | 8 channels | |
| Pulse Counter | 8 channels | |
Power Outputs |
Supply Outputs | +3.3V (100mA) +5V (VBUS) |
| Ground | connected to USB ground |
The USBee ZX Package
The USBee ZX comes with the following items:
USBee ZX Test Pod
One 11 lead 9-inch logic analyzer/signal generator cable set
3 single leads for +5V, +3.3V and Ground outputs
14 high performance micro grabber test clips
6 foot USB cable
USBee ZX Software (downloaded)
USBee Suite Software (downloaded)
USBee ZX Suite Manuals (downloaded)
USBee Suite Manuals (downloaded)
PC System Requirements
The USBee ZX requires the following minimum PC features:
Pentium or higher processor
Windows® 8, 7, Vista, or XP operating system (32 or 64-bit)
Mac OS X (using Parallels)
One USB2.0 High Speed enabled port. It will not run on USB 1.1 Full Speed ports.
1GBytes of RAM
125MBytes of Hard disk space
Internet Access (for software updates and technical support)